UK Hericium complex

[David Humphries]

Relatively rare trio of species of dead/dysfunctional wood volume saprotrophs that are easily identified by their drooping icicle like spines. 

 

Hericium erinaceus

Hericium corraloides

Hericium chirahtus

 

 

 

 

[David Humphries]

Hericium erinaceus aka the bearded tooth

H. erinaceus is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species and one of only four species of fungi on schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

 

Usual host is beech, but can also be found on oak

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.fieldmycology.net/FRDBI/FRDBIrecord.asp?pg=3

[David Humphries]

Hericium corraloides aka coral toothed fungi

 

Another biodiversity action plan species with a near threatened conservation status.

 

Usual host is beech, but also recorded from ash and elm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.fieldmycology.net/FRDBI/FRDBIrecord.asp?intGBNum=5818

[Steve Bullman]

Great picture David, thanks for sharing 

[David Humphries]

Hericium cirrhatum aka tiered tooth fungi

 

Not as rare as the previous two, can be found hosted on beech, horse chestnut, silver birch, ash, oak, maple and elm

 

 

 

 

http://www.fieldmycology.net/FRDBI/FRDBIrecord.asp?intGBNum=16988

[breffni]

Great pictures david. Are you likely to see those species nationwide or are they more specific areas?

[David Humphries]

6 minutes ago, breffni said:

Great pictures david. Are you likely to see those species nationwide or are they more specific areas?

If you click the FRDBI links at the base of each post, they show all the individual UK records of locations. 

 

These NBN maps also give a rough location for each species 

 

H. erinaceus

 

 

H. corraloides

 

 

H. cirrhatum

 

 

 

[Mark J]

Excellent shots.  They don't seem to have suitable conditions in the north east of the UK.  I'm looking forward to encountering them somewhere though.

 

I posted that as the maps were being posted.

Edited February 8, 2018 by Mark J

[ABtrees]

1 hour ago, David Humphries said:

Hericium erinaceus aka the bearded tooth

H. erinaceus is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species and one of only four species of fungi on schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

 

Usual host is beech, but can also be found on oak

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.fieldmycology.net/FRDBI/FRDBIrecord.asp?pg=3

I'm sure I found these in my Chinese takeaway last week !

[David Humphries]

13 minutes ago, ABtrees said:

I'm sure I found these in my Chinese takeaway last week !

H. erinaceus is a highly prized culinary super fung.

 

The Chinese have long coveted its medicinal properties.

 

The majority of fruit bodies of this species found for sale in the culinary and medicinal market place are from inoculated dowels placed in to appropriate dead wood volumes and harvested.

 

Picking this particular species from the wild is actually a criminal offence.